Stay strip



NOV. 21, 1933. E. Y 1,936,082

STAY STRIP Filed D60. 28, 1929 Patented Nov. 21, 1933 UNHTED STATES STAY STRIP Arthur E. Davy, Brockton,

Mass., assignor to Hamilton-Wade Company, Brockton, Mass, a ccrporation of Massachusetts Application December 28, 1929 Serial No. 417,128

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in stay strips of leather or other materials having like characteristics, and involves an improved method of making the same.

Stays for decorating and binding the edges of upholstery or for leather goods have been heretofore composed of strips arranged with their edges skived thin and folded and secured in place by cement or other means. Where an ornamental appearance is desired, two such strips, one wider than the other, have been applied, the narrower one being placed on top so that the exposed edges of the wider strip will project beyond the edges of the narrower, By using strips of different materials or colors, different effects can be produced. This, however, requires double the amount of material and considerable skill in applying to the goods to be decorated.

According to the present invention, improved 20 results are obtained by using a composite or doule deck stay strip so constructed and arranged that its parts may be secured together by concealed stitching or other fastenings. This may be done by using a single top strip to which may be sewed or otherwise secured the edge decorating strip portions. These portions may be of the same material colored differently or of different materials, as desired. After attaching the decorating strips, the top portion may be properly folded to conceal the fastening means and cemented in place to form a complete and finished stay strip which adapts itself to easy application and insures a proper effect after being applied to a seam or the edges of fabric. In this manner, a strip can be constructed from materials of lower quality which is as effective as a solid stay and which presents a particularly sightly appearance. Where a single edge only of the stay is to be decorated, the decorating strip may be applied to one edge of the top strip and the free edge of the top strip folded under the decorating strip.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof and of the novel method of making them, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a View in perspective of the stay during the first step in its construction;

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing more clearly the line of folding the strip;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the completed strip; Fig. 4 is a View in perspective of a modified form of stay during the first step in construction;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing more clearly the line of folding the strip indicated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the line of the second fold in the construction of the modified form of strip; and

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of the complete strip, illustrated as a modification.

The main top portion 10 of the stay comprises a single fiat strip of thin leather or. other equivalent material having a finished surface on at least one side. Since this material is to be doubled in the finished stay, it need be but one-half the thickness otherwise required. The same is true of edge decorating strips 12, which may be prepared by folding prior to their application to the main strip 10 and may or may not be differently colored to contrast with that strip.

The edge strips are herein shown as folded and secured to the main strip 10 with their loose edges registering with the edges of the main strip and their folded edges 16 spaced from each other upon the upper surface of the strip. This spacing is dependent upon the dimensions of the strips and preferably is made such that the finished stay will have the desired appearance with the folded edges 16 of the edge strips 12 projecting beyond the edges of the main strip after the folding operation is completed. The stitching 14 or other securing means passes entirely through both thicknesses of the edge strips and the body of the main strip 10, as shown in Fig. 1.

In the next step both edges of the main strip 10 are folded back on themselves through an angle of substantially 180 degrees and cemented or otherwise fixed in this position, as is apparent from Figs. 2 and 3. In this folding operation the attached and folded edge strips 12 are carried beneath the body strip 10 on fold lines 15. The stitching 14 is so located with respect to the folds 15 that the folded edges 16 of the edge strips will project beyond the folded edges of the main portion 10. When fixed in the position of Fig. 3, the stitching will be concealed from View when the stay is applied to a seam or used in any other decorative relation. By the use of two or more colors, the decorative effect of the stay is improved Without detracting from the appearance by unsightly fastenings.

More than one layer of edge strips could be applied to the top strip in the same way by stitching through all of the layers simultaneously in the first step. Three or four layers for the stay may be fastened to the main strip by this same method with equally good results. By folding the pieces so that all exposed edges will present i also being folded to expose the a finished surface, a more ornate appearance may be produced. The central seam or slit 18 in the bottom of the finished stay is not objectionable but is advantageous in certain cases where uneven surfaces are to be covered. Also, different kinds-of material can be used, as for instance the main strip 10 may be leather the edge strips 12 may be composition, leatherette, etc. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, the dimensions are so chosen that the folds 15 are substantially coincident with the stitchings 14, but good results can be obtained by locating the stitching nearer the outer edges of the strips so as to be some distance from the fold lines 15 after the outer edges have been turned back.

In case an edge decorating strip is to be used on one only of the main strip, the main strip may be turned under to complete the finish. This modified form is shown more clearly in Figs. etc 7. In this arrangement, a main sh p 20, similar to that of the first form, is used. An edge strip 21, however, folded so that its lower edge is shorte than the u per edge. The main strip 20 is stitched or otherwise fastened to the edge strip 21 by fastenings 22. The strip 20 is folded at 23, exposing the edge 25 of the strip 21. To complete the stay, the free edge 2! of the main strip is turned around the longer upper free edge of the strip 21, being preferably adjusted as to Width, so that it will abut the shorter lower edge 29 of the edge portion 21. The parts may then be securely ce1nent"d place, presenting a completed appearance ar to that shown in Fig. 7. The opening formed between the main strip 2% and edge strip 21 may be left unfilled or a stiffening element may be inserted either during construction or afterwards, as desired.

applying the finished stay to a seam or other location, the additional fastening means utilized will aid in holding the parts of the stay in place, more particularly on account of the arrangement of the edges which are disposed under the main top portion. Not only is the ornamental effect of the stay improved by concealing the stitching but also its durability is increased by preventing wear on the stitching itself.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A composite stay having a main portion finished on one side With its edge parts folded back upon itself exposing said finished side, strip portions of similar material but colored to contrast with said main portion, each strip portion bed side adiacent to one of its edges but not along the other, and fastenings passing entirely through said strip portions and into the folded back edges only of the said main portion, holding said portions in fixed relation, with the edges of the s rip portions back edge part only of the main portion, holding said portions in fixed relation, with the edge of the strip portion on which the finished side is exposed projecting beyond the main portion.

3. A composite stay having a main portion finished on one side with one of its edges folded back upon said main portion, exposing said finished side adjacent to one edge of the stay, a strip portion of similar material also folded to expose a finished side, and fastening means passing through both thicknesses of said folded strip portion adjacent its folded edge and into the fo1oled-back edge part only of the main portion, holding said portions in fixed relation, with the edge of the strip portion on which the finished side is exposed projecting beyond the main portion and the other of the edge parts of the main portion turned around the other edge of the strip portion. 90

4,. A composite stay having a main portion with one of its edge parts folded back upon said main portion, a strip portion also with an edge part folded back, each of said portions having free edges opposite from said folded edges, and fastening means passing through the strip portion and its folded edge part but into the folded part only of said main portion, the free part of said main portion being folded around the free edge of said strip portion.

5. A composite stay having a main portion with one of its edge parts folded back upon itself, a strip portion also with an edge part folded back, each of said portions having free edges opposite from said folded edges, and fastening'rneans m5 passing through the strip portion and its folded edge part but into the folded edge part only of said main portion, the free edge part of said main portion being folded about the free edge of said strip portion and abutting the folded no edge of the strip portion.

6. A double deck stay comprisinga plurality of portions including a main portion and another strip portion secured to the main portion adjacent to its edge, the main portion being I15 folded over its secured part in a manner exposing the adjacent edge of the said strip portion, and the opposite edge part of the main portion being folded beneath the stay and forming a fold vertex at its edge.

'7. A compound stay strip comprising an element folded underneath itself at both longitudinal edges in a manner presenting'an unbroken top surface between two fold vertices, and another element secured to an underneath fold of the first element and folded upon itself to provide a fold vertex extending outwardly beyond the adjacent fold vertex of the first ele-- ment.

8. A compound stay strip comprising an element folded underneath itself at both longitudinal edges in a manner presenting an unbroken top surface between two fold vertices, and two other elements respectively secured to the underneath folds of the first element and folded upon themselves to provi -.e two fold vertices extending outwardly beyond the adjacent fold vertices of the first element.

9. A. double deck stay comprising a main strip portion having its two edge parts folded back upon. its intermediate part, two auxiliary strip portions each doubled to present a rounded edge, and stitching inserted through both thicknesses of each of said auxiliary strip portions and through the folded back edge parts only of said main portion and uniting the three portions into a unit.

ARTHUR E. DAVY. 

